Preserving our planet needs to take front stage in the way we live on a daily basis. For example,global warmingis an increasing concern that could exponentially worsen if we continue to ignore the harmful effects of fossil fuels. Although our trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and this helps to slow down global warming, by ignoring recycling campaigns and choosing to cut down trees for paper production, we contribute directly to climate change. Irresponsible deforestation is contributing greatly to deaths resulting from floods and landslides. In 2004, as many as 1700 Haitians died as a direct result of illegal logging and deforestation. Cars and other vehicles are the primary culprits behind smog. According to the web site of the Environmental Protection Agency, one of three people in theUS is at risk of experiencing respiratory ailments due to smog.

Should we choose to ignore preservation and conservation, our planet’s resources will suffer from mismanagement. The consequences are critical:

Pollution(air, land and water) from smog, acid rain, animal wastes seeping into our drinking water

Diseaseand pandemics such as SARS, bird flu, asthma and other respiratory diseases

Such consequences affect our daily lives in terms of transportation, heating, housing concerns, etc. To minimize their effects an important first step is to become an advocate for the issues that are important to your community.

It is easy to keep up-to-date with the issues that affect our environment. The web provides a wealth of information ranging from the laws before Congress to practical information for home owners and businesses. It also provides many forums where you not only can share information but meet people and be part of organizations that help you advocate the environmental issues that are important to you.

The following resources accomplish this by allowing you to view bills before Congress, read about environmental issues and concerns, and to not only read about the subject of ecology, but to contribute your own information.

GovTrack allows you to monitor and track all issues before Congress. It provides access to all the environmental legislation before Congress. Use the Monitor option to track the issues and people that are of concern to you.

The Environment News Network

TheEnvironment News Network provides a wealth of information. This is an excellent site to learn all aspects concerning the environment. It contains daily news and information within specific environmental areas. Information includes:

The Medical Scrubs charity Guide

TheMedicalscrubscollection.com offers the largest charity for nurses and doctors making basic nurses available in places where medical help and doctors are high in demand. MSC Charity group works hand in hand with Doctors with out borders and Nurses that care and other non profit government organizations.:

Today's ENN

Today's News

Commentary

EarthNews

Non Profit News

Sustainable Economy

Science and Technology

Food and Agriculture

Alternative Energy

Water Resources

Conservation

Ecosystems

Wildlife

The Environment Network News also provides Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. This allows you to automatically receive updates for issues that concern you.

PracticalEnvironmentalism

PracticalEnvironmentalism.org provides everyday information that allows people to be environmentally conscious in today's world. The site is part of theAlliance for Sustainable Communities whose goal with the site is to share practical environment-related information for the home and business. Information includes:

Tips that conserve energy

Environment-friendly products

Assistance for other nonprofit organizations

This organization also has aforumon the Care2 web site allowing you to discuss issues about sustainability.

Online Green Parties

There are many Green Party forums. While most are not officially affiliated with the political party, these forums acts as a virtual soapbox to discuss issues concerning the environment.

Petitions.orgincludes environment-related petitionsas well as other subjects. n addition to petitions it includes updates to petitions that have succeeded information on how to write an effective complaint letter, and other tips to help you with your issue of choice.

PetitionOnline.comalso includes a variety of environment-related petitions. In addition, it includes an email link of the petition owner that provides an easy way to learn more about that petition. t also includes the link to the organization that is sponsoring the petition.

PetitionThemgives you the power to be an advocate for your environmental concerns. The site allows you to search petitions by location (International,UKNational,UKLocal,USA, andEurope), and allows you to find petitions based on its signatures (by number of signatures, by name or by date added).

Blogs

Blogs are omnipotent. They cover ever topic, and not surprisingly there are many that discuss the environment. Blogs allow you read interesting viewpoints and in many cases respond with your opinion. Here are some environment-related blogs:

Wiki’s exemplify the Internet's goal to share information. This online book can teach you aboutBasic Ecology and gives you the opportunity to share your knowledge by allowing you to edit existing material and add new material to the topic.

Virtual World Meets Real World: Meetup

The key to using the Internet for grassroots activism is to bring people together both electronically and physically. Meetup.comaccomplishes this by bringing people who share a common interest together. For example, if you want to meet people who share an interest in the environment, click here.

Meetup allows people from around the world to meet other people with shared interests. If there is not a group in your area, they can work with you to create one.

In Closing

Ben Franklin said that the power of the press belongs to those that own one. The Internet and its components (web sites, forums, petitions and blogs) allow anyone to access the power of the press.

To read about conservation and preservation is simply not enough. As citizens and advocates, we need to engage in activities that actively pursue and support both these ideologies. Let us gift our children and grandchildren a healthy planet, clean and problem free.